“Can you break through this?”
Ashanya looked up at the cage, still chewing, then back at Solène, and shook her head. Solène scratched her chin for a moment, then smiled. Ashanya was enlightened now. Just like Pharadon, she could take on human form. An alarming thought popped into her head. If enlightened dragons could take on human form, did that mean she could…? Solène shook the idea from her head—there wasn’t time to think on it now.
“You have to change form into a human, Ashanya,” Solène said. “Then we can walk out of here.”
Ashanya frowned, her face remarkably expressive. “I don’t know how.”
“You’re enlightened. A few moments ago, you didn’t know how to speak, but now you can, because you’ve been listening to humans, and learning, even if you didn’t know it. You’ve seen many of us, you know what we look like.” She grimaced, remembering how Ashanya was forced to defend herself in the temple. “You know what we are, inside and out. You can shape the magic to make it happen now that you’re enlightened. You just have to desire it.”
Ashanya nodded, and her eyes narrowed in concentration. For a moment, nothing happened. Then her body started to change. It wasn’t an enjoyable thing to watch—indeed, in that moment, Solène was glad that her stomach was empty—but the process didn’t take long. In only a matter of seconds, a raven-haired woman with dark eyes and full lips stood before Solène. There was something familiar about her, but Solène couldn’t put her finger on why. She was thankful that Ashanya had also managed to create clothes.
“This way,” she said. “Quickly.” She led Ashanya through the gate, past the unconscious guards, and into the tunnel that led back out to the street. Just as they reached the exit, two armoured men stepped across the threshold. One of them fixed his stare on Solène.
“Who are you? What are you doing here?”
Solène swore silently—it must have been time for the next shift of guards to take over. The men were still standing out on the street—visible to passers-by. If she knocked them out, people would see and the alarm would be raised. If she and the dragon had been only seconds quicker, they’d have been free and clear.
Then Ashanya stepped forward and the guards did a double take.
“I’m sorry, my Lady,” one of them said. “I didn’t see you there.”
“Get back to work!” she barked.
Ashanya’s voice sounded completely different, but Solène did her best not to show her surprise.
“Of course, my Lady. Sorry, my Lady.” They both shuffled past and continued down the corridor.
“We need to get out of here,” Solène said. “Fast. They’re about to find the other guards.”
Ashanya nodded and both women started to run.
CHAPTER 41
At least I’m a big draw, Amaury thought, as he stepped out onto the balcony. There were people as far as he could see, filling the square beneath the balcony and funnelling into the streets beyond. He couldn’t begin to speculate how many were present. Better make this good, he thought. From the balcony, he had a magnificent view over the top of the city, one he rarely bothered to appreciate. Now that it was his, he viewed it with considerably more affection and a sense of almost paternal pride.
Mirabay was a beautiful city, with the river flowing lazily through its centre; before him, the cathedral stood imperiously on the Isle, and beyond it, on the left bank, the spires of the university rose above the rooftops. The parapets and imposing towers of the city walls stood, foreboding, defiant, a statement that the city would stand for ages and never be taken by force. Mirabay was the finest city in the world, and it was Amaury’s job to make sure everyone knew that.
Ysabeau had arrived at the palace a short time earlier to report that the menagerie was ready to be opened to the public. He intended to play up this good news in his announcement. He had captured the dragon. He had kept the people safe and he had brought this great trophy back to Mirabay so that all could share in his magnificent achievement. He had wondered if he should charge them for the privilege. The kingdom’s coffers were always strained, all the more so now with the mercenaries he was having to hire to bolster his manpower. The dragon could prove to be a major source of revenue—there was not a person in the city who would not want to see it, and he was certain it would draw visitors from miles around.
Thinking further, Amaury realised charging to see the dragon was not the right move if he wanted it to help him calm the populace. It would fan the flames he wished to extinguish.
He took a deep breath, forced a broad smile, and walked forward to the edge of the balcony. The greeting he received was unwelcome, but not entirely unexpected. The gathered people started booing. There were insults mixed in—occasionally a voice rose loud enough for Amaury to make out individual words. Some he found particularly cutting—“limper” was one he’d always particularly disliked, and added to his irritation that he still hadn’t had the chance to apply any of the Cup’s power to his old injury. The pain was as pronounced as it had been in some time, and attending to it was long overdue. Perhaps today, when he was finished here—there was little more he could do to prepare.
“People of Mirabay,” he said, in his most stentorian tone. The crowd didn’t quieten. If anything, the jeering and booing grew louder. “People of Mirabay!” Still no reaction.
Amaury took a moment to stifle his rapidly growing anger, then shouted “Silence!” His voice boomed out, startling even him. Had he used magic? He wasn’t sure. One way or the other, it had worked. The crowd had fallen silent. It was eerie to see so many people and for things to be so quiet.
“People of Mirabay,” Amaury said. “I’ve chosen to speak with you today to ask for your patience and support during this time when changes are taking place in our city. As a true son of Mirabaya, I promise you all is happening for the best. It will make our kingdom stronger, our homes safer, and ensure a better quality of life for one and all.”
“Bollocks!”
It was only one voice, but it wasn’t the reaction Amaury had hoped for. What to do? Respond? Carry on as though nothing had happened? He chose the latter.
“Many of you will have already seen the benefits these changes can bring. Treatment for illnesses and injuries that would have been incurable before—”
“Doesn’t seem to have worked for you, you limping bastard.” A different voice, from elsewhere in the crowd.
Amaury smiled wryly. Should have healed myself before I came out here, and danced the bastards a jig, he thought.
“Water is clean and safe to drink,” he continued. “Food is fresh and plentiful. These are just the first of many benefits of this new age we now live in.”
“Sorcery is wrong!” a man called.
“It’s an abomination!” a woman shouted.
“You’re an abomination!” Several voices.
Laughter.
The hecklers were in different parts of the crowd. They were growing bolder and Amaury knew he didn’t have long to bring the people around to his way of thinking. He reached deep, focussed his thought.
“Why don’t you limp off that balcony, you bastard!”
“Silence!” Amaury roared, his anger finally getting the better of him. He watched in awe as the sound of his voice moved through the air like a wave and crashed down onto the crowd, smashing through them like a cavalry charge. There was blood, there were screams of terror and agony. Amaury watched in amazement as his word left a trail of absolute devastation in its wake before it faded to nothing, like a ripple diminishing as it spread through a pond.